Amit Sambhi

Formation of 2 Digital Bank’s (GCC & MENA) (7 Years): Founder member for two digital/neo banks in Bahrain and Jordan whereby led licensing, established scalable operations, formalized risk and compliance frameworks, delivered automation around payments & cards, Led strategic initiatives(open finance, stablecoin), customer experience optimization, and significant cost efficiencies while strengthening regulatory alignment and operational resilience. A credible partner to executive leadership and regulators, delivering complex transformation agendas across retail, corporate, and digital banks

Change Management & Transformation C-Suit Executive (8 Years): Leading enterprise-wide digital transformation, operational excellence, and cultural transformation across Financial and Insurance businesses. Spearheaded Payments, Cards, Remittance transformation, Core Banking modernization, AI adoption, operational governance, Customer life cycle management and digital-first operating models within a highly regulated UAE environment (ADGM & CBUAE)

Operational Control & Analytics (10 Years): Built strong foundations in fraud underwriting, BFSI operations, analytics, process management and operational controls, establishing scalability in banking operations, risk management, and process transformation

Appointed to lead enterprise-wide digital, operational, and cultural transformation across Financial, Investment, and Insurance verticals within a complex, regulated, and rapidly evolving UAE market. Accountable for defining and executing the transformation roadmap, advancing automation, digitalization, governance, and data-led performance management while embedding a sustainable culture of continuous improvement and customer-centric operational excellence.

• Spurred the strategic design and phased implementation of a Stablecoin–enabled remittance transformation, re-architecting the Remittance 360° ecosystem to improve speed, transparency, and cost efficiency while positioning the organization for future-ready cross border payment capabilities.

• Spear heading the overall customer lifecycle management, transformation of payday segment offerings with a vision to provide seamless vault , non traditional remittance, wallets and unified experience

• Driving organization change and culture by building digital-first mindset and budling scalable digital model

• Initiated a multi-year Core Banking migration program to modernize legacy infrastructure, strengthen regulatory compliance, enhance operational resilience, and establish a scalable foundation for advanced digital products across Financial, Investment, and Insurance businesses.

• Piloted the enterprise-wide adoption of AI, machine learning, and digital signature initiatives to reduce manual intervention, improve straight-through processing, strengthen governance controls, and enable more intelligent, data-driven operational decision-making.

• Advanced a comprehensive redesign of Turnaround Time (TAT) and KPI measurement frameworks, embedding performance analytics and governance structures that are improving visibility, accountability, and execution discipline across all operational units.

Management Overview: 3 AVP's direct reports, 70+ indirect reports | Budget: $30M Reporting Structure: Direct report to the Bank's CEO

Hired to establish scalable operational frameworks for MENA's first fully digital bank, blending customer experience design with backend automation. Led a lean operations team, overcoming stakeholder challenges, and leveraging technology to achieve cost efficiency, streamline reconciliation and settlement, and meet strategic timelines while setting a model for scalable growth. Partnered at the leadership level to drive and govern operational decisions across Retail and Wholesale businesses.

• Delivered $400K in annualised savings and a 30% reduction in overheads by leading a one-year project to centralise card settlements in Bahrain, aligning with board strategy to reduce duplication, optimise infrastructure, and redeploy resources for revenue-generating activities across Jordan, Egypt, and Algeria.

• Drove a 40% reduction in branch customer footfall and $200K in annualised savings by digitising customer fulfilment activities. Implemented technical solutions for IBAN letters, statements, applications, and cheque deposits, optimising resource allocation and enhancing the overall customer experience.

• Boosted STP rates from 78% to 95% by defining low-value payment thresholds, automating approvals, and aligning team workflows. This enhanced turnaround times for major currencies and reduced manual effort by 60%. ABC Bank was recognised with the 2023 Citi USD Payments STP Award for achieving best-in-class Straight-Through-Processing rates.

• Implemented a comprehensive ERP system and re-engineered business processes, streamlining Payroll, Accounting, IT, and HR. Integrated wallets like Apple Pay and Garmin, enhancing customer experience and ensuring seamless settlement with scheme partners such as VISA and MasterCard.